I scheme, you scheme, she screams!
by ashes of roses1
Summary: Beth and Liz were all set on winning Luis and Antonio back for themselves... but it looks like little Miss Sheridan Crane practically handed over the brothers to Beth and Liz. How? Read on. Worth a read for the minority of Buis and Liztonio fans (like me)
1. ice cream 1

Chapter 1:   
Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald walked into Sheridan's Crane's cottage. He sure was  
missing her again. He remembered the day everyone had "proof" that she had  
died. But in his heart, he knew otherwise. She was still alive. She had to be. Look  
at the first time around, when everyone presumed her to be buried alive and she  
ended up surprising him around Christmastime. That was truly a miracle.   
  
Ever since the boat explosion, Luis had known deep in his heart that  
Sheridan was still alive. But that was twelve months ago. He began to move on.  
Now he was very much involved with Beth Wallace and he was just on the verge  
of asking her to marry him, but his heart still clung to the hope of Sheridan  
returning to him. He believed that she wasn't killed in that boat explosion.   
  
All of a sudden, he heard someone opening the front door and getting  
inside. Who could that be? he thought to himself. No one lives in this abandoned  
cottage anymore! He turned around and gasped at who he saw standing in front  
of him, by the doorway.   
  
It was Sheridan Crane, but it wasn't. She had the same vibrant, beautiful  
features but something in her eyes looked different. But that was the last thing  
Luis cared about at that moment.  
  
"Sheridan?!" Luis asked, flabbergasted to see his "dead"  
ex-girlfriend/former fiance in her old cottage. Was this another dream or fantasy  
he was having? Please God, don't let it be, he thought to himself. Let this one be  
real!   
  
"Luis!" she hollered back. With one look at her "dead lover" all of her  
amnesia seemed to disappear. She regained all of her forgotten memory. This  
was the man she loved! He wasn't dead like she had assumed! She was just as  
surprised to see him as he was to see her. She ran into his open arms.   
  
Oh, if felt so good to be in each other's arms again! They clinged onto  
each other as lovers do. After all, they had been apart from each other for alm0st  
twelve months. But their connection was still very much strong and they both  
knew it.   
  
His mouth was inches away from hers and he hungrily began to kiss her,  
missing the way her lips used to feel on his. Luis and Sheridan savored the  
moments together as they "found" one another again. Their hearts had been  
wishing, hoping and praying for this reunion and now were content that it was  
finally taking place. Oh, it felt so good to be together again! Sheridan missed the  
way she used to put her hand behind Luis's head and stroke his hair while they  
kissed. She did that then, feeling so happy to be back where she "belonged."   
  
Little did they know it then, on that faithful day in the summertime, that  
something was going to try and come between them again, but this time around,  
it was going to be permanent!   
  
* * * * *  
  
Beth Wallace was in her house, cleaning up the mess that her mother had  
left behind. My God, she was such a slob! Beth was waiting for Luis's arrival later  
that night. They had talked earlier in the day and from the looks of things, it  
seemed like he wanted to come over and spend a romantic evening with her. She  
couldn't wait. God, she loved that man. Ever since she could remember. They  
had gone out in high school and everyone had thought that they would be  
engaged right out of graduation, but things did not turn out that way. For one,  
Luis had to deal with his father's disappearance and Beth had to cope with her  
mother popping back into her life. So Luis and Beth decided to take a break from  
each other for a while. By that time, Luis found himself a new love, by the name  
of Sheridan Crane. And Beth? Well she found nothing and no one.   
  
But Sheridan had died about a year ago, and Luis had found his way back  
to Beth. Things were going great between them. In fact, Beth had the distinct  
feeling that a marriage proposal was short-coming.  
  
Right now, Beth wore her favorite (and Luis's favorite) lingerie as she  
anticipated his arrival.   
  
"You look like a hooker," her mother informed her. "A good Christian would  
never have sex before marriage."  
  
"Go to your room, mother," Beth ordered her, with a wave of her hand.  
Wow, when her mother came back to live with her a few years ago, Beth didn't  
think she was going to be so difficult to deal with. Oh well. She had Luis in her  
life. Nothing else mattered.  
  
Just then her telephone rang.  
  
Beth had caller ID and noticed that it was Luis who was calling from his  
cell phone.   
  
"Hello," she said a bit seductively to the man she loved.  
  
"Hi, Beth," Luis said, guilt showering over his tone of voice.  
  
She instinctively could tell that he had called to cancel or postpone their  
plans. She detected it easily. After all, she had known Luis long enough to notice  
little things like that.   
  
"Let me guess you have to cancel?" Beth asked lightly. She was  
disappointed, but didn't want it to be very obvious.  
  
"Ya, I'm sorry, Beth," Luis replied. He did not want to tell Beth of Sheridan's  
"return" just yet. He needed time to think. And he needed to tell her face-to-face.   
  
They talked for a few more minutes. After they hung up, Luis thought  
about how much it was going to hurt Beth to lose him all over again. She was  
going to feel the same way he felt when he lost Sheridan the first (and second)  
time around. He loved her and didn't want to cause her pain. But he loved  
Sheridan, too. He knew that choosing to be with Sheridan was the choice his heart  
would have made - after all, fate had been handing her to him numerously. Death  
couldn't separate those two love-birds. But something else sure could have. 


	2. ice cream 2

Chapter 2:   
  
Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald walked into the Crane Mansion. He was going to  
see his mama again. They had been separated for ten long years. He had truly  
missed her, as well as his siblings. He left Diana alone to search around the  
Estate while he went inside to find his mama.   
After they reunited, they began to have a long conversation about the past,  
the present and the future.   
He told Pilar that he was engaged to a beautiful woman named "Diana."  
That was Sheridan's name during her amnesic period. He asked her what had  
happened to her in the past few years.   
They continued to sit there in the living room, reliving happy memories  
and discussing their lives.   
  
Meanwhile, on a small island known as St. Lisa's, a Black woman by the  
name of Liz Sanbourne was thinking about moving to a small town named  
Harmony. That is where her best friend, who also used to be her lover, Brian  
O'Leary, better known now as Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald, had just moved to with  
his fiancée Diana.   
She had to move there. How else was she going to be able to sink her claws  
into the man she loved so passionately?! Deep down she knew that Diana wasn't  
the right kind of woman for Brian er Antonio. Diana had practically caused  
Antonio's car crash when she ran up that huge gambling debt which he felt  
obligated to pay off by entering and winning a car race. The profit money would  
have been just enough to pay off that debt. She was the reason he was so badly  
injured after that car race.   
I'm the right woman for Antonio, Liz thought to herself, conspiringly. And I  
will do what I can to get him. I will prevent him from making the mistake of  
marrying Diana. And when I do, he'll see who his true love is. Me.   
She sighed as she imagined life as Antonio's wife. They would be so happy  
together, the same way they had been when they were lovers back on that island.   
Liz began to reminisce about those days:  
Her and Antonio were friends before they became lovers. He worked for  
her in her hotel. They eventually began to fall in love. They went out for two  
years. That was the best two years of Liz's life. But maybe the same couldn't be  
said for Antonio, since he broke up with her shortly after. She was heartbroken,  
but understood why he decided to end things between them. She had been  
pushing him away more and more. She hardly noticed it; it seemed like second  
nature. Her past, which included her sister betraying her, had left some pretty  
harsh wounds that would not go away. It seemed to affect every relationship Liz  
would have. She was not very trusting of others. Antonio needed and wanted trust  
and closeness from his lover, but he didn't get much of that from Liz. That is  
primarily why he broke up with her. It still hurt.   
She sighed as the sad memories replayed in her mind. Shaking them away,  
she took out the suitcase which was in her closet, and began to pack. She would  
get to Harmony as soon as she could. There was no way Diana and Antonio were  
going to be married! Not if she had something to say about it.   
  
* * * * *  
  
"I can't believe it's you!" Luis said back in the cottage, touching Sheridan's  
short blonde hair as if to make sure she was really alive.   
"I know!" Sheridan said.   
She was so happy that she seemed to have forgotten all about Antonio. Her  
fiance. He had told her that he was going to be at the Crane Mansion talking to  
his mama. She said she wanted to walk around the grounds for a while. When she  
saw the cottage, she could have sworn that she felt a strong connection to it. So  
she decided to go in. Once she stepped inside, all of her memory seemed to  
come back to her as she saw the person before her. Her memory of the past  
came back, but her memory of the present (which included her engagement to  
Antonio) seemed to vanish.   
Meanwhile, back in the Crane Mansion, Antonio was telling his mama  
about Diana.   
"She's great, mama," he said, so in love with Diana.   
"I'm sure she is," Pilar responded. "I can't wait to see her. Where is she?"  
"She's probably walking through the grounds," he answered. "You can meet  
her tomorrow, it's late. Mama, do you mind if I sleep over at our house tonight? I  
don't have anywhere else to stay and neither does Diana."  
"Oh of course, Antonio," she answered. "But our house burned down  
recently. So all of us are staying over here. I'm sure Mrs. Crane can give you  
and Diana a room to stay in. Feel free."  
He nodded as he thanked her.   
It had been a long day. Everyone was tired. Antonio bid his mama  
goodnight as he went out to find Diana.   
Antonio walked around the Estate but couldn't find his girlfriend. He then  
noticed the lighted up cottage. He quickly headed over there.   
Meanwhile, inside the cottage, Sheridan and Luis were sitting on the  
couch, watching a scary movie. They were cuddling with a bowl of popcorn next  
to them.   
Antonio knocked on the already ajar door. The movie was too loud for  
Sheridan or Luis to hear the knock. Antonio decided to go inside.   
What he saw in front of him, startled him.   
Diana? With Luis? What was going on here?!  
"Diana?" Antonio asked. "What are you doing here?"  
He gave her a suspicious look.   
"I..." Diana began but was interrupted by Luis.  
"Diana?" he asked his brother. "This isn't Diana, it's Sheridan Crane."  
"Crane?!" Antonio gasped. He turned to look at his fiance. "Did you get  
your memory back?"  
She nodded.   
"So you really are Sheridan Crane?" he asked.   
"Yes," she told him.   
"Well, that still doesn't explain what you are doing here with my brother."  
"Br-Brother?" Sheridan stammered.   
"That's right," Antonio answered. "This is Luis, my younger brother."  
Sheridan turned to look at Luis, surprise covering her face.   
"You two are together?" Luis asked, looking at both of them.   
Sheridan cringed but nodded. She didn't want to hurt Luis. He was the love  
of her life. But then again, she also didn't want to cause Antonio any pain either.  
He had been great to her on St. Lisa's and she had eventually fallen in love with  
him. Maybe it was the Lopez-Fitzgerald genes. It caused her to love both men,  
because they were so alike physically and emotionally.   
  
{A/N: what do u all think? let me know. i love to hear criticism and  
responses. so go ahead and press that purple button ok? lol.} 


	3. ice cream 3

Chapter 3:  
  
Luis stared at Sheridan and Antonio in shock. Part of him was mad at her  
for forgetting about him so quickly and moving on. Another part of him was upset  
that she had moved on with his brother. Luis had no amount of respect for his  
older brother who had "run out" on the family about a decade ago. The disrespect  
that Luis had for Antonio was escalading to hate and jealousy.   
Sheridan stared at Luis and Antonio who were both quiet as they absorbed  
all of this information.   
"So let me get this straight," Antonio began. "You are interested in Luis?"  
"More than that, Bri-Antonio," Sheridan replied. "I was with Luis before I got  
amnesia. We were engaged to be married..." Her voice trailed off as she  
remembered those great times she shared with Luis. Those times were like  
dreams then, something wonderful. The present situation was no comparison to  
that. This was a nightmare.   
"Engaged to be MARRIED?!" Antonio replied his voice getting louder and  
louder. "You mean to tell me that you and Luis were in the same situation you  
and I are in now?"   
Sheridan looked down at the floor, but nodded. What did she do to deserve  
this? She recalled the way her college friends and her used to love the attention  
they would get from men, especially if it was more than one at a time. Sheridan  
laughed scornfully to herself. Those events were like a confidence boost, it was  
fun to see men chasing her. But now, well this was no boost. It was an emotional  
strain on her part.   
"I don't believe this..." Luis mumbled.   
Antonio glared at his brother. "Well believe it," he said. "Sheridan is  
engaged to me presently, not previously as it is with you. I'm gonna marry her,  
not you."  
Luis' eyes took on a fiery look, which scared Sheridan.   
"Ok, ok," Sheridan said, trying to stop this. "I need to think." She headed to  
her room.  
"What's to think about?" Antonio asked her. "You love me of course!"  
"What?" Luis asked. "Sheridan, you..."  
Sheridan turned around to stare at the two men. "What I need to think about  
is the fact that five minutes after I got my memory back there are two men -  
brothers at that - fighting and trying to one up each other about who I love more.  
Now, I need to think. Goodnight you, two."   
She headed to her old bedroom. Antonio was just about to follow her inside  
but was stopped by Luis.   
"Didn't you hear anything she said?" Luis asked his older brother. "She  
wants to be alone, so let her be."  
"Listen hear, Luis," Antonio began. "I love her, I was the one who was there  
for her all this time. She loves ME. Accept that, ok?" Antonio crossed his hands  
knowingly and confidently.   
"What is the matter with you?!" Luis asked. "You just got back to Harmony  
today after 10 years and the first thing out of your mouth isn't 'hey bro how you  
been' it's 'sheridan is mine luis.'" Luis waited for a response from the "stranger"  
standing bef0re him, but he didn't get one. "I'm out of here," Luis continued. "And  
if you know what's good for you, you'll follow me."  
"Where are you headed?" Antonio asked.   
"To the Crane Mansion." Luis replied. "Everybody is there, including  
mama. I'm sure she'll love to see you again."  
"I already saw her," Antonio answered.   
"Oh," Luis said. "Well, then, you're probably tired. It's late. You should get  
some sleep."  
"Ok, pops," Antonio said jokingly. "Tell me when did you get all  
parent-like?"  
Luis was not in a laughing mood. "When you ran out on the family and I  
was the only one left to be a fatherly figure to Theresa, Miguel and Paloma; that's  
when."   
Scoffing, Luis walked ahead of his brother as they reached the Crane  
Mansion.   
Man, Antonio thought to himself. I didn't think once of the stuff I was  
putting my family through. But I'm here now. I can help Luis in his fatherly role to  
my siblings. But still, there is NO way I'm going to let him take the role of  
Sheridan's husband. That's my duty.   
* * * * *  
Liz Sanbourne was in the airport, holding on to her ticket and her  
backpack. She was headed to Harmony. She would arrive tomorrow.   
I hope I'm not too late, she thought to herself. I know how adamant Antonio  
can be. When he has an idea in his head, he has to do it, on the spot! He can't  
marry Diana. He's going to marry me.   
About an hour later, Liz was in the airplane as it took off to Harmony,  
Maine. Having nothing else to do, she began to think about her life:  
When did I become such a schemer? she thought to herself. Life was great  
when Antonio and I were dating. But then came the nightmare of our breakup and  
he met Diana a year later and they've been going strong for a year now. I've tried  
to put a stop to their romance for twelve whole months! From the get go, I knew  
she was wrong for him. There was something about her which was off, like she  
didn't belong with us. She couldn't wait tables, she got Brian in trouble after  
trouble, with almost losing his job to almost losing his life through that car race.   
Damn her, Liz thought vehemently. He almost died because of her. And she  
isn't even worth it. Once I get to Harmony, I'll make sure Antonio sees his  
precious Diana from my viewpoint, Liz thought to herself, as she closed her eyes  
and laid back in her seat for the rest of the trip.   
{A/N: sorry to any antonio fans out there, but if you already noticed, even  
if you didn't, i am not making antonio out to be a cool character in this fic. he's  
vicious and hot-tempered. i hope ur enjoying this so far. cause i am. what do u  
think of the title?} 


	4. ice cream 4

Chapter 4:  
  
About an hour later, Liz arrived in Harmony. It was almost noon. She  
called Antonio on his cell phone.   
  
"Hello?" Antonio said after two rings.  
  
"Hi, Antonio," Liz replied cheerfully.  
  
"Liz!" Antonio exclaimed happily. It was so good to hear from his longtime  
friend/ex-lover. "How are you? Where are you calling me from? The caller ID  
said this is a local number."  
  
"I'm great Antonio. I'm in Harmony right now, actually. I just got here and I  
don't know my way around town, so I was hoping you could -"  
  
Antonio finished her sentence for her. "Show you around?" he asked.   
  
"Yes," she replied.   
  
"I'll be happy to," he answered. "Are you at the airport?"  
  
"Yeah, Gate Seven."  
  
"I'll be there in a little bit." Antonio replied, putting his jacket on and  
grabbing his car keys.  
  
They hung up.   
  
Time to win Antonio over...again, Liz thought to herself mischievously.   
  
  
Meanwhile, in Harmony, Luis drove his Toyota Sequoia over to Beth's  
house. It was time to tell her the truth about Sheridan's return. It was going to  
hurt Beth, and that's the last thing he wanted to do, but it was inevitable.   
  
He decided to take her to Sheridan's cottage so he, Beth, Antonio and  
Sheridan could discuss things. Obviously Sheridan had to choose between him  
and his brother, so he didn't want to completely destroy Beth's hopes of them still  
being together. Especially if Sheridan chose Antonio.   
  
Luis got out of the car and rang the doorbell. Beth opened the door a few  
seconds later.   
  
"Luis!" she exclaimed happily, giving him a hug and a kiss.   
  
Luis smiled guiltily. I don't want to hurt her, he thought to himself.   
  
"What's up?" she asked, letting him inside.   
  
"Oh, umm, I actually wanted to ask you if you have anything to do today. I  
need to tell you something and I'll tell you on the way to ..." Luis paused, knowing  
he almost said 'Sheridan's cottage.' "Why don't you come with me, ok?"   
  
He extended his hand. She looked at him, oddly. Something is definitely up,  
she thought to herself. And it doesn't seem like a good thing.   
  
"Let me just change. I'll be back in a minute."  
  
He nodded as he sat down on the couch.   
  
What is going on? Beth thought to herself as she watched Luis sit down.  
Whatever it is, I can handle it. I'm strong. She inhaled, preparing for the worse.  
  
A few minutes later, they sat down in Luis' car and were ready to go.   
"So what is this thing you have to tell me?" Beth asked, getting right to the  
point.   
  
"Well, umm," Luis began, unsure of how to tell her that his ex-fiancée had  
returned from the dead.... again.   
  
"Luis whatever it is you can tell me," Beth said, putting her hand on his  
knee. "I love you."  
  
"I love you, too, Beth," Luis replied. "That's why it's so much harder to tell  
you."  
  
Beth's face contorted into a confused look. "Just say it, Luis, please," she  
begged him.   
  
"Ok," Luis said. He inhaled deeply. "Well you know how we all thought that  
Sheridan Crane died in that boat explosion, right?"  
  
"Ya..." Beth began, not liking where this was going.   
  
"Well it turns out that she's very much alive. I saw her yesterday."  
  
"Oh my Gosh!" Beth exclaimed, shocked. "Luis, she's alive? That's great,  
but, what does this mean for us?"  
  
Beth looked at Luis eagerly, hoping he'd still want to stay with her.   
  
"Well you see the thing is that she didn't come alone. The twelve months  
she was away, she fell in love with another man. And not just any man at that -  
my older long lost brother. So that's why I'm taking you to her cottage, Beth."  
  
"Sheridan fell in love with Antonio?" Beth asked, surprised.   
  
"Yeah," Luis groaned. "So I figured we could all sit down and talk to each  
other about this like the responsible adults that we are."  
  
"Oh sure," Beth said.   
  
Luis parked the car near the cottage and they stepped out. They headed to  
the cottage, where Sheridan already was.   
  
  
At around the same time Beth and Luis arrived at Sheridan's cottage,  
Antonio was eagerly looking around for Liz at Gate Seven of the Harmony  
Airport.   
  
"Liz!" he cried out when he saw her, giving her a big hug and a kiss on the  
cheek.   
  
"Antonio!" she squealed happily, hugging her ex-boyfriend.   
  
"I've missed you," he said, all smiles.  
  
"Oh come now, Antonio," she said laughing on the outside but secretly  
thrilled on the inside, "it's only been a little while!"  
  
"Still." he responded, gazing into her brown eyes.   
  
That was the same look he used to give me when we were lovers, Liz  
thought to herself.   
  
She blushed slightly as he helped her with her luggage.   
  
On the drive from the airport to the cottage, Antonio told Liz about his  
current situation with Sheridan and his brother.   
  
"So yeah, Luis said he wanted to have a big talk with me, Diana, oops I  
mean Sheridan, his girlfriend Beth and him. I'm sorry I have to put you through it  
when you JUST arrived in Harmony, but that's where I'm staying right now, so.."  
  
"Hey that's no problem," Liz said putting her hand up in objection. "Maybe I  
could offer my two cents into that discussion."  
  
"What do you mean, Liz?" Antonio asked her curiously.   
  
"Well," Liz said deciding to be matter-of-fact with the man next to her, "I'm  
still very much in love with you."  
  
Antonio looked at her, shocked. He didn't say anything for a minute as he  
absorbed her words. "I should have guessed it," he said. "You couldn't stop crying  
when I almost died in that car race a few weeks ago. You do care for me."  
  
She nodded a yes.   
  
"You know, Liz," he continued. "Part of me never let you go when we broke  
up. You still have a very deep place in my heart."  
  
He turned to look at her. She was smiling. He smiled back.  
  
If this is not motivation for me to continue my scheme to get him back, she  
thought to herself, then I don't know what is. Antonio still loves me. There's no  
way I'm gonna let SHERIDAN have him now!!  
  
They got out of the car and walked the steps up to the cozy cottage.   
  
{A/N: i think this was a good chapter but it starts to heat up in the next  
few!! just you wait! r/r if you've got anything to say. i want opinions! peace out} 


	5. ice cream 5

Chapter 5:  
  
Sheridan, Beth and Luis were already in the cottage by the time Antonio  
had almost arrived with Liz. Beth had greeted Sheridan kindly enough earlier,  
even though she most likely would have torn out the blonde woman's hair if Luis  
chose to go back to her. Beth did not like scheming and being second best. But  
she knew that if Luis and Sheridan got back together, she would resort to  
schemes and that type of behavior. Hopefully Sheridan wanted Antonio more than  
she did Luis.   
  
A few minutes later, Antonio arrived with Liz.   
  
"Liz!" Sheridan exclaimed happily, running to give her "friend" a hug.   
  
"Hi, Diana, umm Sheridan," Liz said uncomfortably, barely hugging her  
back. She never really liked her before when she was Diana, and she didn't like  
now as Sheridan, either.  
  
Beth noticed this. That woman doesn't seem to like Sheridan any better  
than I do, she thought to herself. Hmm....  
  
Antonio introduced Luis and Beth to Liz.   
  
After they went through an introduction and all of the "Hi, nice to meet  
you"s were said, "Why don't we all sit down?" Sheridan asked everybody.   
  
Luis nodded, going and sitting next to Sheridan on the big couch. Antonio  
sat down to the left of Sheridan while Luis sat on the right.  
  
Beth sighed in exasperation. Dammitt, she thought to herself. Sheridan  
already has Luis around her pretty little jeweled finger. She went down to sit in  
the sofa facing the three.   
  
Liz sat down next to her. "What is going on with them?" she asked her,  
curiously, motioning her head to Luis, Sheridan and Antonio.   
  
"What do you mean?" Beth asked her.   
  
"Well, Luis and Antonio are both in love with Sheridan, right?"  
  
"Yeah," Beth said, glumly as she eyed the three.   
  
"Then how do you fit into this big mess?"  
  
"I'm Luis' girlfriend," she said. "At least I hope I still am. Umm...You don't  
have to answer this because it's none of my business, but you don't seem to  
enjoy Sheridan's presence too much. Am I right?"  
  
Liz gave a nod, narrowing her eyes at Sheridan, who didn't notice. "That  
woman has caused so much grief for Antonio and me."   
  
"Oh," was all Beth said. She sure seemed bitter after saying that, Beth  
thought to herself. I wonder what Sheridan DID on that island. She didn't want to  
pry into this woman's personal business TOO much, but she wanted to know: "So  
how do YOU fit into this love mess?"  
  
"Oh, Antonio and I used to date awhile ago. I'm an old friend of his."  
  
"Do you still love him?" Beth couldn't help ask.   
  
"Yeah, I do actually," she answered nonchalantly. "That's why I'm hoping  
Sheridan will pick Luis, so I can win Antonio over again for myself."  
  
A flashbulb went off in Beth's head. "I think we're both after the same  
thing," she told her new friend, raising one eyebrow in amusement.  
  
Liz face grew into a smile as she realized what Beth meant. She was right.  
They were both after the Lopez-Fitzgerald brothers Antonio and Luis!!  
  
"Do you want to plot together to get our men back for ourselves?" Beth  
asked her, a mischevious glint apparent in her eyes.   
  
"Most definitely," Liz answered, grinning at her.   
  
Meanwhile, Sheridan, Antonio and Luis were whispering to each other.   
  
"Sheridan, you love me. You got your memory back. Don't you remember  
the love we shared? We were almost married!"  
  
"But Luis, you're with Beth now. You love her, I can tell. And she loves  
you."  
  
"But Sher," Luis began protesting, only to be interrupted by his older  
brother Antonio.  
  
"All the more reason for you to choose me!" he stated to Sheridan, trying to  
convince her to choose him. "I don't have a girlfriend. I have you." He gave her a  
kiss on the lips, while Luis watched on in horror.   
  
"What about that woman, Liz?" Luis glared at his brother.   
  
"She's a friend. We USED to go out, but that was in the past. Just like you  
and Sheridan."  
  
"You freakin' -" Luis began, getting very angry. He was interrupted by  
Sheridan.   
  
"Stop this! I hate that you two are always fighting! I can't decide yet!" She  
stood up and walked over to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.   
  
Antonio and Luis watched her go and sighed to themselves. They then  
turned to look at the two women facing them.   
  
Beth and Liz each winked at their man.   
  
Antonio walked over to Liz and sat down. They began to chat for a while.  
Luis did the same. He took Beth with him outside, where they could have a private  
conversation.  
  
"Luis what are you going to do now?" she asked gently, placing her hand on  
his shoulder.   
  
"I don't know. I still love you very much, Beth, but you know that if  
Sheridan chooses me, well then I'm gonna go back to her."  
  
"I know that, Luis," Beth said quietly, looking down.   
  
"Hey, hey," Luis said, putting his hand on her chin so she'll look up at him.  
"I still love you. And it's not definite yet that Sheridan chose me." To show her  
what he meant, he kissed her gently but passionately on the lips.   
  
Ok, I believe you, Luis, Beth thought to herself as she kissed him back. He  
hasn't kissed me like this since the day we first got engaged! She was hoping Luis  
would remain by her side forever.  
  
Meanwhile, Liz and Antonio were talking on the couch inside the cottage.   
  
"Christmas is coming up soon," Liz said, trying to make conversation and  
get his mind off of Sheridan. "Do you and your family have any plans for the  
holidays?"  
  
"No, not really. Mama said that ever since Papa died, she hasn't been very  
enthusiastic during the holidays. I just wish I could make her feel better, you  
know, bring Papa home. We all know he's not dead; he's just disappeared."  
  
A lightbulb went off in Liz's brain. Bringing Martin Fitzgerald to Harmony  
again would be a great Christmas gift for Antonio and his family. Maybe he might  
even want me back because of it.....  
  
"I want to help you, Antonio," Liz said, gaining more and more confidence  
in her new idea and hoping that Antonio would agree to it.   
  
"With what?" he asked her curiously.   
  
"Finding your father." 


	6. ice cream 6

Chapter 6:  
  
"That's a great idea!" Antonio exclaimed as he thought it through.   
  
Liz smiled, happy to know that he felt that way.  
  
"But what do we do?" Antonio asked.   
  
"Well, we have to do an extensive search, online, in person, and just try to  
find sources leading up to it. Look for people who fit the descriptions and such.  
Try to get people who can help us. The FBI and such."  
  
"Great, great!" Antonio continued, getting more and more excited after  
each word that came out of Liz's mouth. "We have to tell Luis. I'm sure he can  
help us. He is after all a police officer."  
  
"Luis!" Antonio called, opening the front door of the cottage. Liz followed  
him outside where they saw Beth and Luis sharing a sweet kiss.   
  
"Umm, ya?" Luis asked after Beth and him parted from their kiss, "what is  
it, Antonio?"  
  
Liz gave the thumbs up sign to her new friend Beth. She grinned in return.   
  
"Liz here had a great idea to find our father before Christmas!" Antonio  
blurted out. "Kinda like a nice holiday gift to Mama and our siblings."  
  
"What?!" Luis asked, astonished. "He's been missing for ten years, Antonio.  
How do you expect to find him now? Especially in two weeks!"  
  
"We can do it, bro. I know we can!" Antonio answered, trying to make his  
younger brother feel the way he did.   
  
"I guess it's worth a try. Anything for mama. I'll call up Sam Bennett, the  
Police Chief here in Harmony and see if he can somehow connect me to the FBI."  
  
"Great!" Beth exclaimed.   
  
A few hours later, Antonio called Beth and Liz over to the Crane Mansion.  
He said that Luis had find some sources that seemed accurate in their search for  
Martin Fitzgerald.  
  
"Well," Luis began after Beth and Liz arrived. "Seems like there is someone  
who fits the description of my father in New Mexico. Right by where Paloma is  
currently living with my Aunt Maria. So I figured Antonio and I will go there to do  
a comprehensive search."  
  
"NO!" Beth and Liz shouted in unison.   
  
"Why not?" Luis asked concerned. He turned to his brother, who had the  
same puzzled look on his face.   
  
"Because Luis," Beth began, grabbing his hands and stroking them gently,  
"I have to come with you. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you  
and I wasn't there."  
  
"Same here, Antonio," Liz agreed.   
  
The two men thought it over for a minute. They didn't want the women to  
get involved but they could see how much they cared. Besides, they might be  
some help. Who knows?!  
  
"Ok," Luis finally relented. "But don't you two ever leave our sights! I mean  
it; this is could be dangerous stuff we're dealing with."  
  
Liz and Beth nodded, secretly smiling at each other. It seemed like they  
were going to be spending some quality time with the men they loved. Hopefully,  
by the end of this trip/search, the men would love them back just as much and  
would forget about that rich blondie named Sheridan.   
  
Luis and Antonio had to leave shortly after that. They had to go to work.  
Beth and Liz stayed behind in the Crane Mansion as they began to draw up more  
schemes to get their men.   
  
Just then a stout, old man came down the stairs. When he was upstairs, he  
had listened to every word that had come out of Luis', Antonio's, Beth's and Liz's  
mouths on his secret videos. It alarmed him a bit. Especially when they began to  
talk about searching for the disappeared Martin Fitzgerald.   
  
No one can know what REALLY caused Martin's death, Alastair Crane  
thought to himself. Those two girls seem smart and they look like they love those  
two Lopez-Fitzgerald's. With a little manipulation, I can get them to do what I  
want....   
  
  
"Hello ladies," Alastair said, sweetly, trying to win them over. As he  
descended the stairs and said a hello to them, he brought with him an air of  
authority. Beth knew all too well about this man and soon Liz would, too.   
  
But Beth was no fool. She knew who Alastair was and what he was capable  
of. She didn't respond to his greeting - just folded her hands and narrowed her  
eyes at the man.   
  
My, she's a tough one, Alastair thought to himself. SHE should have been  
my daughter and not that lame excuse of a Crane named Sheridan!  
  
"Who is he?" Liz asked, in a low tone.   
  
"Sheridan's father," Beth whispered back.  
  
"Oh the enemy!" Liz replied.   
  
"Come now!" Alastair began, having heard what the two women were  
whispering to each other. "I'm not the enemy! Far from it. That is, unless you  
want me to be." He crossed his arms and stared back at the ladies, waiting for a  
response from either of them.   
  
"Now I know that you NEVER get out of your office unless something  
important arises," Beth began, challenging the man, "would you mind telling us  
why you're here at this moment talking to us? What do you want, Alastair?" She  
stared at him expectantly.   
  
"I'm quite aware of your schemes, Ms. Wallace," he responded. "And if you  
help me, I just might get you and your friend what you want."  
  
Beth and Liz turned to look at each other. They did want Luis and Antonio  
more than anything but was it safe to play hardball with a man who was known to  
be as dangerous as he was? And besides, what did HE want in return?   
  
{A/N: it's getting better folks. as u c alastair is thrown into the mix, and  
he'll influence every other character. keep reading folks. and please review!} 


	7. ice cream 7

Chapter 7:  
  
"You don't know what I want," Beth responded, grabbing her purse and  
Liz's hand and attempting to leave. This conversation was becoming a bit  
dangerous. Any conversation with THIS man was risky.   
  
"Oh come now, Ms. Wallace!" Alastair said before she was out the door.  
"You want Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, do you not? And you," he continued, turning to  
look at Liz, "you want Antonio or should I say Brian O'Leary?"  
  
The two women glared their eyes at the man. Why would HE help THEM?  
They had never shared a conversation with this man before. And yet how did he  
know so much about them?  
  
"That's none of your business, Mr. Crane," Liz spoke up all of a sudden.  
"Let's go," she said, motioning to Beth.   
  
Alastair knew that he had to do something to make them listen to him. "Did  
you or did you not promise to help Luis and Antonio find the disappeared Martin  
Fitzgerald?" Alastair's voice boomed out. He was losing patience. Why do they  
have to be so smart and careful? he grumbled to himself. Why can't they be like  
my good-for-nothing daughter Sheridan so then I can make them do exactly as I  
want?  
  
Beth and Liz looked at each other, unsure of how to respond to his  
question.   
  
"So what if we did?!" Beth glared, challenging the man.   
  
"Well, you see, honey," he replied, inching closer to Beth and softly  
running his hands through her hair. Beth closed her eyes in horror at his touch. "I  
know where Martin is. Or should I say the late Martin?"  
  
Beth and Liz gasped. Luis and Antonio had felt in their hearts that their  
father was not dead and so that feeling had also been worn on to Beth and Liz.  
But he WAS dead. Oh God! Poor Luis and Antonio when they would find out about  
this!  
  
"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Liz said, after she thought it through, "how  
do we know you're not LYING?!"  
  
"You are a Crane after all," Beth added coldly, spewing her words across  
the room. "Lying is second NAture for you and your family."  
  
Dammitt, Alastair thought to himself. This is one wall I can't seem to crack  
through.   
  
"DO you want me to help you get the Lopez-Fitzgerald brothers or not?  
From what I know, they are in a bind, now that my daughter has returned from the  
dead... again and must choose between those two." He stared at them, eyebrows  
raised. "And I'm not exactly buying it that the two of you are sitting there, hoping  
beyond hope that your man will come back to you. Do you REALLY want them or  
not?!  
  
"Of course we want them!" Liz replied. "But just what are you suggesting?"  
  
Lowering his voice so only the two women could hear, "I know where  
Martin Fitzgerald's body is. Luis is right on track with his plan to go to New  
Mexico."  
  
"Luis said that he found someone there who only fits the DESCRIPTION,"  
Beth informed him.   
  
"But there was no mention of that person being dead or alive, am I right?"  
Alastair and the ladies knew that he had got them on that one. He was right. When  
Luis had said he found someone similar to his father, he didn't say that he was  
still alive.   
  
"So how is Martin's body supposed to help us get Luis and Antonio? Liz  
asked. She was getting impatient.   
  
"You see I know who killed him," Alastair said, his cigar in his hand. "And  
once Luis and Antonio find out as well, they'll come to you with open arms!" He  
smirked at the two ladies, trying to convince them of his plan.   
  
Oh this has to work! Alastair thought to himself. They have to help me so  
my plan can be a complete success and I don't have to deal with this mess  
anymore!  
  
Beth and Liz looked at each other, puzzlement sketching their faces.   
  
How could finding out who killed Martin make Luis and Antonio want the  
two ladies? Unless of course the killer was...   
  
{a/n: suspense i know but i can't help it. u probly already know who i  
mean. anyways, it's like if i said it, it would be boring and predictable. and, what  
is alastair's plan exactly? u'll find out if u keep reading... please keep r/r-ing. i  
love this story but not a lot of people seem to think so, because of the lack of  
reviews. anyways, those of u who r reading, thanks and please don't stop doing  
so.} 


	8. ice cream 8

Chapter 8:  
  
"Go ahead and go to New Mexico with Luis and Antonio," Alastair  
encouraged. "You will definitely find something there."  
  
"Listen here, Alastair," Beth said, challenging this man who the whole town  
was afraid of. But not her. She was getting pretty angry, "I LOVE Luis. And Liz  
loves Antonio. And we'd do anything to get them back, but if it means having you  
for an ally, well then, I just don't know if I can go through with it. I know what you  
are capable of. Everyone knows you're not above killing your own flesh and  
blood and WHO knows what you are up to with us!"  
  
The hairs on the back of Alastair's neck stood up in horror. It chilled him,  
because he knew that what Beth was saying was true. She knew the truth. And  
sometimes he couldn't even believe that he had the audacity to plan for the death  
of his daughter Sheridan. But then again, he thought to himself, I would have done  
anything to make sure the Lopez-Fitzgerald's didn't know about Martin's death.  
But it's time they know. And they won't know the complete truth. They will know  
most of it but not all. They'll know what I want them to know. And with the help of  
these two ladies, I will never have to watch my back about Luis and his family  
finding out the truth about Martin's death.   
  
"Let's go, Liz," Beth said, grabbing her friend's hand, and leaving the  
mansion.   
  
"Make sure you check the fingerprints of the evidence you find at New  
Mexico!" Alastair called after them, grinning to himself.   
  
Beth turned around and gave Alastair the finger. She knew that he was  
somehow involved in the death of Martin Fitzgerald. Even if he didn't kill him  
himself exactly, Beth thought to herself, I know he orchestrated the plan.  
  
Alastair laughed to himself. He knew those girls had at least half a brain.  
He also knew they wouldn't go against his wishes and ruin his plan.   
  
After today, Alastair thought to himself as he sat back in the sofa and blew  
out another cloud of smoke through his cigar, I don't have to deal with this  
problem anymore!   
  
The next day, Luis called Sheridan at her cottage and told her that he,  
Antonio, Liz and Beth were going to New Mexico.   
  
"What for?" she asked suspiciously. And why are they going with Liz and  
Beth? she thought to herself.   
  
"To find who killed my papa. We found a source in New Mexico and we  
are going to investigate it."   
  
A chill went down Sheridan's spine at the mere mention of Martin  
Fitzgerald. She used to have amnesia at one point in her life, and therefore could  
not clearly remember everything that had happened that one day when she was  
only six years old. All she could recall of that memory was a bleeding body next  
to her as she held on to a stained letter opener.   
"Sheridan are you there?" Luis asked after she didn't respond  
"Yes, yes," Sheridan said a few moments later, "Luis, let me come with you.  
Please."  
"No, Sheridan," Luis answered firmly. "It's dangerous, and I don't know how  
or why I'm even letting Beth and Liz come. Besides, you just got back to  
Harmony. Rest and relax, ok? I'll be back soon."  
She agreed reluctantly. I don't have a good feeling about Luis, Antonio and  
the others going to New Mexico, she thought to herself as she placed the  
telephone down on its cradle.   
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
A week later, Beth, Luis, Liz and Antonio were in New Mexico. Somehow  
Alastair Crane had dug up Beth's cell phone number. He had placed a few calls  
to her, with specific instructions about where to go to find the evidence. He told  
her to casually mention searching that location to Luis and Antonio so they could  
find the evidence there.   
Alastair did not want to prolong the investigation. Let the Lopez-Fiztgerald's  
find Martin's body and find it fast, he thought to himself. There is no way I'm  
going to let Sheridan marry any of those brothers! If she does, well, they might  
find out the real reason why Martin is dead. And I can't let that happen. Let them  
only know part of the truth. They should be satisfied with that...  
Beth hung up after she took down Alastair's orders. She didn't want to hurt  
the man she loved but she was being manipulated now and couldn't get out of it.   
"Why don't we go here?" Beth suggested as the four of them were looking  
over a map of the state.   
"Well, ok," Luis said after a thought. "It's pretty close to where the source  
came from."  
So the four of them decided to head to that part of New Mexico. They  
arranged two hotel rooms to stay in as they continued their investigation.   
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
Back in Harmony, Pilar, Theresa, Sheridan and Miguel were anxiously  
awaiting word on how the search for Martin was going.   
  
Luis and Antonio called home and spoke to Pilar.   
  
"Mama, I haven't found anything yet, but it seems like we could. We will  
keep searching."  
  
"Ok, Antonio," Pilar answered.   
  
"Mama, please don't get your hopes up. I don't want to give you false hope."   
  
"Don't worry, son," Pilar replied firmly even though she was quivering  
inside. I really hope they find my husband, she thought to herself.   
They hung up a few minutes later.   
  
As Luis, Beth and Liz were digging through a muddy region, trying to find a  
body that was apparently there (based on new sources), Luis yelled out loudly to  
his brother once he felt his shovel hit something which didn't seem like soil.   
  
"What is it, Luis?" Antonio asked, running over to where the other's were  
standing.   
  
"Bones," Luis said, not meeting his brother's look. He was staring straight  
ahead at what he had stumbled upon.   
  
"It looks like a man's body, not a female's," Liz remarked.   
  
"Yes," Beth answered horrified. I really hope this isn't Martin's remains, she  
thought to herself. Damn you, Alastair!  
  
"Let's check dental records and such," Antonio suggested.   
  
"Definitely," Luis replied grimly, still unable to avert his attention from  
what lay in front of him in heaps.   
  
The four of them put on plastic gloves and took the body over to the town's  
local police department.   
  
I hope that's not papa's body, Luis and Antonio both thought in unison as  
they drove to the police station.   
  
Beth and Liz looked at each other, helpless. They already knew the  
remains were those of Martin's. It made them sad to even picture how Luis and  
Antonio would feel once they knew as well.  
  
A few hours later, as they waited for the results, the Police Chief stepped  
out to speak to them.   
  
"We found out who's body that was," the man informed them. "It was the  
body of Martin Fitzgerald. He was murdered and after checking fingerprints, we  
have come to find out who the killer was."  
  
Antonio and Luis broke down in tears as they realized that their previous  
intuition about their papa had been a false one. Their father WAS dead. Oh God,  
poor mama when she would find out!  
  
Beth and Liz both tried to be supportive to the men they loved as tears even  
came to their own eyes. Beth had known Martin until she was eight years old.  
  
Having grown up without a father, he had taken over that position for her,  
especially since Luis and her were so close as kids. Liz didn't know Martin at all,  
but she could feel Antonio's pain. It was causing her to suffer as well - suffer for  
the pain her lover was currently experiencing.   
  
"Who killed him?!" Luis finally managed to ask.  
  
  
{a/n: ok, more cliffhangers. i think u already know who the killer is though.  
sorry nicole marie. please keep reading and reviewing!} 


	9. ice cream 9

Chapter 9:  
  
The Police Chief looked at the documents in his hand.   
  
"The killer was a woman from a small town in Maine, called Harmony."  
  
"That's where we're from!" Antonio exclaimed. He turned to his brother. "Oh, God, what if we  
know her?"   
  
Beth and Liz closed their eyes, quivering at what the next few words would be out of the Police  
Chief's mouth.   
  
"Her name is Sheridan Crane," he finally said.   
  
"WHAT!?" Luis and Antonio yelped, their breath's suspended.   
  
"There must be a mistake!" Luis cried out. "Sheridan WOULDN'T have killed our father!"  
  
"It seemed to have been an accidental death sir, but the evidence proves it. Miss Sheridan is the  
killer. You're a cop of that town, right?" he asked, addressing Luis.   
  
"Yes," Luis managed to say despite his shocked reverie.   
  
"I suggest you place her under arrest as soon as you get back to Harmony," he insinuated.   
  
Luis's mouth was open, every single dark emotion creeping through his veins. He nodded  
absent-mindedly at the Police Chief.   
  
"Luis, people make mistakes in this profession, DON'T THEY?" Antonio asked desperately,  
tugging at his brother's shirt, "this has to be one of them. Sheridan COULDN'T have killed papa!"  
  
Beth gave Luis a warm hug as he let all of his emotions out and began to cry on her shoulder.   
  
Liz tried her best to comfort Antonio, which wasn't an easy task.   
  
"I don't know, Antonio," Luis finally managed to murmur, "but deep down, I now know that  
she did kill him! I feel it in my bones."  
  
"Bullshit!" Antonio cried out in anger. "You thought that papa was definitely not dead as well,  
and look at what happened to that theory. Sheridan didn't kill him. I don't believe it. I WON'T!"  
  
Antonio stormed out of the station, his emotions getting the best of him.   
  
"I'm sorry," the Police Chief said to the three teary-eyed people standing in front of him.   
  
Beth and Liz nodded, thanking the man, while Luis stepped out of the station and walked  
towards the car they had rented earlier that week.   
  
"Luis, let me drive," Beth said. "You're in no condition to operate a vehicle."  
  
Luis handed her the keys without a word. He was in no mood to do anything. It seemed like all  
of the energies that the young lively police officer used to have had disappeared. His face was filled with  
a shadow of despair.   
  
Liz persuaded Antonio to get in the car. As Beth was driving, Antonio's cell phone began to  
ring.   
  
Antonio picked it up, hardly in the mood to talk to anyone. He looked to see who it was that  
was calling. On the small screen, it read "Sheridan."  
  
"Oh God, it's Sheri-" Antonio began but couldn't say since tears overpowered him.   
  
"Let me get it," Liz offered quickly, grabbing the small phone from Antonio's hand.   
  
"Hello?" she asked. "Oh hi Sheridan... ya Antonio's busy at the moment... ya we are all fine....I  
don't know when we'll be back... ok....uhuh....bye." Liz hung up. Beth looked at her from the rear view  
mirror. She gave a questioning look. Liz silently told Beth that they would discuss it later.   
  
It was funny how quiet everyone was being. A pindrop could be heard inside the vehicle. Luis  
and Antonio didn't ask Liz any questions about the phone call - even though they had listened intently to  
every word that had escaped her mouth.   
  
They headed to a small diner to eat. Luis and Antonio barely touched their food, they had no  
appetite. The life had been sucked away from them. Their papa's death had damaging repercussions.  
Emotionally and physically.  
  
Beth and Liz did their best to comfort the two, but it was to no avail. Luis and Antonio couldn't  
be consoled. They would eventually get over it, through time. But now, they were shocked, angry and  
confused about how they felt about Sheridan.   
  
"Do you want to go back to Harmony?" Beth asked Luis.   
  
"Not yet," Luis mumbled. He wasn't ready to face his demons yet. He doubted he ever would  
be. But for now, he knew he couldn't handle returning and seeing HER. Maybe after a few days, as the  
reality of this situation set in more, he would be ready to head back home.   
  
So after they finished their dinner, they all returned to their hotel rooms. Beth and Liz had been  
sharing one room, and so had Luis and Antonio, but the two women knew that the men needed them  
that night, so they decided to each sleep in the same room as their man.   
  
Luis crawled into bed at around 10 pm. He was dead tired - emotionally and physically. Tears  
still fell from his face, even as he tried to sleep. Beth slept in the bed right next to his.   
  
I'm here for you, Luis, she thought to herself as she eyed him with worry, I know you're  
suffering and I'm going to do my best to take the pain away.   
  
The moment Luis closed his eyes, with a futile attempt to catch some z's, he pictured Sheridan's  
smiling face. She was grinning at him and calling his name. Once he reached closer to her, he saw a  
bloody letter opener in her hand.   
  
"NO!" Luis yelled, sitting up in the bed. His tears still fell from his face, but now he was  
drenched in cold sweat as well. He panted heavily as he thought about the nightmare he had just had.   
  
"Luis, honey!" Beth cried, throwing the covers off of her and running to his side. She grabbed  
his hand. "You had a nightmare, it's ok, it's gonna be ok." She coaxed softly.  
  
His eyes locked into hers and she almost began to cry at seeing how sad he looked. His eyes,  
which were usually so alive and bright with happiness was now dull, dark and bleak.   
  
"Come here," he whispered. He had never felt like he needed anyone in his whole life. But now  
he was scared, alone and very needy.   
  
She got up to sit next to him on the bed. She ran her fingers through his hand gently, trying to  
ease the pain.   
  
"Luis, I'm so, so sorry," she whispered back.   
  
"Beth," he said softly as he touched her black hair. "Make the pain go away. I never felt this  
much pain. Please..."  
  
She didn't know what to say. She got under the covers next to him and began to kiss his cheek,  
his forehead, his eyes, trying to dry the tears away. But she didn't kiss his lips. She was unsure if she  
should go that far. Maybe all he needed right now was a friend, not a girlfriend.   
  
Luis took in her small kisses, forgetting for a while why he was so upset. Her kisses were like  
bandages on wounds - it lessened the pain. A few minutes later, she stopped planting her lips over his  
face as she stared at his reaction.   
  
"Beth, kiss me," Luis ordered gently.   
  
She would take that. She leaned down and delicately brushed her lips with his. He returned it,  
kissing her harder after each time. They made love that night, something they hadn't done in a while,  
both of them comforting each other through all the pain that came from the death of Martin Fitzgerald.   
  
{a/n: i hope i made buis fans happy. next up: happiness for liztonio fans. sorry sheridan fans!} 


	10. ice cream 10

Chapter 10:  
  
In the next room, Liz was doing her best to comfort a very insomniac Antonio. He wouldn't go  
to sleep. The shock of his father's murder kept him up for the whole night. His eyes were glassy, and he  
didn't speak much.   
  
"Antonio," Liz said coaxingly, "I'm sorry for what happened, but you really should get some  
sleep."  
  
"I can't sleep Liz. I can't stop thinking about this. But you go ahead."  
  
"No," Liz answered. "I care for you Antonio and I'm going to be here helping you to the best of  
my ability." She sat down next to him on the bed.   
  
"Thanks," he murmured.   
  
She took his hand in hers. They sat there like that for a few minutes, not saying anything. That  
was a comfort to Antonio in itself. Knowing that Liz - the woman he had been through so much with -  
was there for him.   
  
"I can't believe that the love I felt for Sheridan died like that," Antonio began to say a few  
minutes later, confiding in Liz. "I mean it died instantly when I found out she killed my papa! I never  
believed in unconditional love, and I guess now I proved it to myself."  
  
"Oh, Antonio," she said gently, caressing his hand softly. She didn't care right now if he had  
stopped loving Sheridan or not. All that mattered was helping him overcome this grief he was  
experiencing.   
  
"What do you think?" he asked her suddenly. "Do you think it's wrong of me to stop loving  
her?"  
  
"Of course not!" she answered quickly. "You're handling it all very well. If I were in your shoes,  
I don't think I would have done anything differently."  
  
He leaned over and drew his arms out, waiting for a hug from her. She fell into his soft touch as  
they sat there, each holding the other, trying to make the pain go away.   
  
"Thank you," he said.  
  
"For what?" she asked.   
  
"For being here for me when I needed you. For being a great friend. For being you." The last  
three words were said differently from the others. He looked deeply into her eyes. She gazed back, and  
she could tell instantly that the small part of his heart that still loved her was growing into something  
bigger.   
  
He bent down and kissed her softly on the lips to show his appreciation. She kissed him back.  
They sat there, hugging and kissing each other for hours, reviving the old but not forgotten memories  
they used to share together on St. Lisa's back when they were romantically involved.   
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
The next day, early in the morning, Beth, Luis, Antonio and Liz packed up their belongings and  
got ready for their drive back to Harmony. They knew it was going to be a long drive back, at least a  
few days, but they didn't care. Besides, Luis and Antonio still needed time to come to terms with their  
grief and a little traveling couldn't hurt.   
  
They decided to alternate between who drives the SUV back home. Liz had the first shift.  
Antonio sat next to her in the passenger seat while Luis and Beth were in the back.   
  
"Did you speak to mama last night, Antonio?" Luis asked him.   
  
"No," he answered. "I guess I should call her soon. But I want to tell her face to face, not over  
some phone."  
  
Luis didn't say anything. Beth stroked Luis's arm, trying her best to be a good friend to him.   
  
Luis's mind replayed to the events that had transpired last night. The pain and agony he had  
experiened instantly when he found out that his papa was killed by Sheridan! Oh God! He could just  
imagine how his family would react. Pilar had always considered Sheridan to be like a daughter to her.  
What was she going to think when she found out that her "daughter" killed her husband? Luis let out a  
long, unconsolable sigh.   
  
Beth let Luis put his head on her shoulder. Liz drove the car for another hour, until they began to  
all have hunger pains. Liz pulled the SUV over into a small cozy restuarant somewhere in Oklahoma.   
  
After they all had sat down and ordered their meals, Liz and Beth decided amongst themselves  
to do the best they could to cheer up the two glum Lopez-Fitzgerald's.   
  
Beth and Liz did their best to bring up a lively topic of conversation to at the very least, make  
Luis and Antonio forget about their grief for a while.   
  
Once they finished their meals and desserts, they headed back to the car.   
  
"I'll drive this time," Luis offered.   
  
"Are you sure, Luis?" Beth asked, concerned.   
  
"Yeah, I need to get my mind off of things."  
  
"Ok," Liz said, handing him the car keys.   
  
{a/n: next chapter: theyll get back home and surprises await the Harmonians. lol. its not  
necessarily good surprises!} 


	11. ice cream 11

Chapter 11:  
  
A few days later, Liz, Beth, Antonio and Luis finally arrived at Harmony. They were tired, and  
grieving. The last thing they wanted to do was to tell family members the bad news, but they knew they  
had to do it. And on top of that, since Luis was a cop and also the one who uncovered the mystery of  
his papa's death, he had to discuss this murder case with his Chief of Police, who was probably going  
to make HIM arrest the murderer - Sheridan.   
  
"Do you want me to come with you?" Liz and Beth asked the Lopez-Fitzgerald brothers.   
  
"No, it's ok. You've done more than enough. We have to face this on our own." Luis answered  
gratefully, looking at his brother.   
  
Antonio was still in an array of shock. He hadn't said much on the trip home. He had not really  
been a member of this family ever since he had left ten years ago. But they still were top priority in his  
book. He just wished he had been there for them when they were suffering.But at least he was here  
now. And he realized what mattered. The moment he arrived in Harmony, he seemed to have been at  
his brother's throat. They both wanted Sheridan. Now, well, that was the last thing they wanted or  
needed in their lives.  
  
"Ok," Beth and Liz said relucantly. "We'll call you later."  
  
They nodded, hugging and thanking them for all their help. Inhaling a breath of air, they both  
walked up the driveway to their mama's house.  
  
"Mama?" Luis called as he let himself in. Antonio followed him like a shadow.   
  
"Luis? Antonio?" Pilar called back, stepping out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish  
towel. "You're back! I'm so glad you returned, we were beginning to miss -" She looked at their  
distraught faces and paused talking. She could tell something bad happened. Luis and Antonio were  
strong and they wouldn't put up faces like this in front of her or their siblings if something was not  
VERY wrong.   
  
What could be wrong? Deep down she knew. They had gone trying to locate her husband's  
whereabouts. And obviously they had found something, and she knew just what it was. The truth was  
evident on her son's faces.  
  
"No, NO!" she said, tears coming to her eyes, as she backed away from their touch.   
  
"Mama!" Luis pleaded, trying his best to console her. He knew he was defenseless in  
comforting her but he didn't want to see her like this.   
  
"NO!" she shouted loudly. She fell to the floor, the tears making her shoulders heave up and  
down.   
  
"I'm so sorry, mama," Luis coaxed, trying to help her stand up.   
  
She pushed his extended hand away. She stared up at her oldest son, who had yet to speak.  
His eyes were glassy, but the tears hadn't fallen from his eyes.   
  
"Antonio, tell me it's not true!" she begged. "Tell Luis to stop LYING!" she screamed, throwing  
the nearest thing she could find, a vase, towards the wall. Once the vase connected with the wall, they  
heard a piercing, shattering noise, which is was the exact way their heart's felt at the moment. Pierced.  
Shattered. Pilar turned to stare at her oldest son, who, despite his lack of presence this past decade,  
had been her rock. She waited for an answer.   
  
He didn't have any answers, or solutions. He stared back at her with an emotionless face. He  
couldn't take this anymore. It was bad enough that he was grieving, but to see his mama going through it  
now was like another ache in his heart. He ran upstairs, not answering his mama's question.   
  
He stayed there in his old room for a while. Poor mama! I hate to see her this way. But then  
again, I'm not helping. No, not at all. In fact, I'm making things worse - dumping all of the responsibility  
on Luis again. He opened the door to the room, and trying his best to be strong, headed back  
downstairs.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
Meanwhile, Beth and Liz were driving through town. They decided to go to Sheridan's cottage.  
Liz had one of her suitcases there which she wanted to pick up. They were hoping they wouldn't run  
into Sheridan. They didn't. But they weren't able to avoid her father - Alastair.   
  
"Hello ladies," he said suavely as Liz opened the door. He was sitting on one of the Lazy Boy's  
and smoking a cigar. He looked like he had been anticipating their arrival. Putting his cigar aside, he  
stood up.   
  
They didn't answer him. Liz trudged right past him and went to find her suitcase. Beth stared  
there glaring at him, her hands folded.   
  
"Did you have a nice trip in New Mexico?" Alastair asked politely. Beth traced a small tone of  
sarcasm in his voice.   
  
"You son of a -" Beth began to say, but was interrupted.   
  
"Hey, is that any way to talk to the man that gave you everything you wanted?"   
  
Beth thought it over. "I do want Luis," she said indignantly, "but I don't want to see him  
SUFFERING like this!"  
  
"No pain, no gain!" he answered nonchalantly.   
  
"How could you expose your own daughter as the killer?" Beth hissed. She didn't like Sheridan  
all too much, but it was just beyond her how someone could do that to another family member.   
  
"Hey, if she married one of the Lopez-Fitzgerald brothers, for sure the family secrets would be  
revealed."  
  
"What secrets?" Beth demanded to find out.   
  
"How Martin really died," he answered, sitting down.   
  
"But... the evidence proves that... that Sheridan killed him!" Beth sputtered. "She didn't really  
kill him did she?!"  
  
"She did!" he roared. He was getting angry. He didn't want anyone to believe that someone  
other than Sheridan had killed Martin. "She was given the letter opener and told that if any man seemed  
scary or suspicious, that she should push the letter opener into his body."  
  
"And you just so convienently made it that Martin was the first suspicious person, huh? But  
wasn't he working for your family then? Wouldn't Sheridan have recognized him?"  
  
Damn, Alastair thought. She's good. She asks too many questions, though. "She was six years  
old, then, Ms. Wallace. And he had been working there for only two years. She hadn't really seen him."  
  
"Why did you want Martin dead?" Beth exploded. "Why? He was innocent in all of this!"  
  
"He found out some familyt secrets that should never have been revealed. That's why."  
  
"May God rot your soul." she answered, grabbing her purse. Liz came out of the room just then  
and they walked out.   
  
Alastair looked on after them, half amused, half worried. No one had ever spoken to him that  
way before. It was weird. Maybe I told her too much, he thought to himself. He stared at their retreating  
forms. Naahhh, they can't do anything to spite me.......  
  
Meanwhile outside, Liz asked Beth what had just happened.   
  
"Don't worry," Beth answered. "You and everyone else will soon find out."  
  
Liz gave her a confused look.   
  
Beth pulled out something from her jean pocket.   
  
"A tape recorder?!" Liz exclaimed, proud of her friend's intelligence.   
  
"Yup," Beth replied. "I'm gonna make that sucker pay for what he did to the  
Lopez-Fitzgerald's.  
  
They grinned at each other.   
  
{a/n: ooooh, im loving this. i hope u r too. beth has recorded every last one of alastair's words.  
the question is - what is she gonna do with it? read on.} 


	12. ice cream 12

Chapter 12:   
  
"I don't believe this, Beth!" Liz exclaimed happily. "You have the key to bringing down Alastair  
Crane. That's not an easy thing to do, you know."  
  
"Yeah well," Beth replied. "I'll teach him to mess me with and the man I love."  
  
They continued to walk away from their cottage and towards their cars. On the way, they ran  
into Sheridan Crane, who was making her way to her house.   
  
"Hi, Beth, Liz!" Sheridan greeted chirpily. "It's nice to see you guys are finally back. You took  
some time there in New Mexico."  
  
Beth's eyes flashed in fury, but she didn't say anything, besides mumbling out a hi.   
  
"Will you excuse us, Sheridan," Liz said quickly. "We have to go."  
  
"Ohh-kay," Sheridan said, giving them an odd look as they abruptly walked away from her. She  
shrugged to herself and walked towards her cottage.  
  
"I could kill her!" Beth hissed, as soon as Sheridan was out of ear shot. "If I am this mad at her,  
I wonder how Luis and Antonio are going to react?!"  
  
"You know," Liz began to say, thoughtfully, "I was dead set on scheming with you to get our  
men back for ourselves. But now, it seems like we don't have to try. They're ours for the taking. I just  
wish they weren't going through this suffering!"  
  
"So do I," Beth nodded her head, the image of Luis's crying face still sketched vividly in her  
mind.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
Meanwhile, at the Lopez-Fitzgerald house, a few hours later.......  
  
The word eventually got around about Martin's death. At least in the Lopez-Fitzgerald's house.  
  
Miguel and Theresa heard their mama's cries and came downstairs to see what the commotion was all  
about. Once Luis and Antonio told them the truth, they ran off. They couldn't stand to see her or their  
brothers upset. Luis, Antonio and Pilar had always been Theresa's and Miguel's rocks. They were  
strong and brave. But now, all they could do was mourn the loss of their papa.   
  
"I can't take this!" Theresa wailed, grabbing her purse and running out of the house. The tears  
overclouded her vision, but she knew where she was going. Over to the Bennett's house to be  
comforted by her boyfriend Hank Bennett.   
  
Miguel followed shortly. He, too, went to the Bennett's - to see his best friend/girlfriend Kay.  
{a/n: couldnt resist including kaguel and therank in this fic.}  
  
Luis, Antonio and Pilar watched them go. It hurt to see them run away like that, but they were  
too young to understand that Antonio, Pilar and Luis needed the most comforting. Oh well.   
  
"How...how did he ... die?" Pilar managed to say.   
  
Luis and Antonio looked at each other uncomfortably, not sure who should tell her, of if she  
should know at all. Antonio nodded his head to Luis, letting him know that mama deserved to know  
who killed her husband.   
  
"Mama, that's the hard part. You see, it's someone from Harmony," Antonio began.   
  
"Who?!" Pilar said, her face made of stone, her voice angry and upset.   
  
"She -" Antonio started to say but stopped. He couldn't say her name. Couldn't tell his mama  
that the woman who had been like a "daughter" to her had killed papa. "She -"   
  
Pilar's eyes took on a look of flashing anger. "SHERIDAN?!" she yelled out. She was hoping it  
wasn't so, but who else could it be? How many peoples' names in Harmony started with a 'she-?'  
  
Antonio managed to nod his head, while Luis sat there, watching everything unfold. It was  
surreal. It was bad enough to know that their papa had disappeared for the past twenty years, but to  
now find out that he was dead, and killed by someone they had treated practically as family!  
  
Pilar broke down, falling on the carpet. Her sobs got the best of her. She was an emotional  
mess.   
  
All Luis and Antonio could do was watch their mother, anguished and all, cry the tears that  
come from losing the one you love. But they were suffering, too. The woman they both were in love  
with was the person who had killed their papa. It didn't matter that Sheridan was the Maryiln Munster  
of the Crane family; she was still a Crane.   
  
Pilar was finally able to control her emotions for a few minutes as she studied the faces of two of  
her oldest sons. They hadn't just lost their papa - they had lost the love they felt for Sheridan. Their  
hearts would not settle for the person who killed a member of their family.   
Pilar ran towards her children, embracing them to the best of her ability, trying to make the pain  
go away, for all of them.   
  
They held her back, trying to take solace through each other's hugs.  
  
{a/n: ok this chapter was a bit off-topic, especially at the end. but it needed to be written.  
anyways, next up: luis and antonio confront sheridan in front of beth and liz! stay tuned! thanks for the  
responds.} 


	13. ice cream 13

Chapter 13:  
  
{a/n: im sorry shuis and/or shertonio fans. i've always been a fan of underdogs and for passions  
that would be: kay/ivy/gwen/beth and liz. so ya. besides sheridan's been getting on my last nerves and  
this fic is one way of ranting out my frustrations. sheridan's going to have a bad fate by the end of this  
fic. if u think i'm gonna go light on her because she ACCIDENTALLY killed Martin, think again. This  
fic is satisfying my anger at little miss Sheridan.}  
  
The next day, Luis and Antonio called Beth and Liz. They told them of their plans to confront  
Sheridan with the news and place her under arrest. It wasn't going to be easy. It wasn't going to be fun.  
That's why they wanted the two women to be there for them. Just like they always had been.   
  
Liz volunteered to call Sheridan and make sure she was home. She told her that she, along with  
Beth, Luis and Antonio were going to stop by soon.   
  
An hour later, the four of them met up in front of the cottage.   
  
"I don't know if I can do this!" Luis complained. "I mean, I'm arresting a woman I had been in  
love with for a while now. I don't love her anymore, but that doesn't exactly help. I mean, it's not easy  
to put someone you're so close to under arrest for killing someone else you were close to. You know?"  
He turned to look at Beth, hoping she'd understand.   
  
"I know, Luis," she began, trying to comfort him. "I've never been through it, but I can imagine.  
It has to be one of the hardest things to ever do in life."  
  
"It is," he replied, glad to see she understood. He gave her a hug and a kiss as a way to show  
his appreciation.   
  
Liz squeezed a quiet Antonio's hand as they walked up the steps to the cottage.   
  
"Hi!" Sheridan squealed, happy to see the two men in her life again. She ran to give them hugs.  
They let her hug them, but didn't hug her back. They were quiet and pretty unresponsive towards their  
father's murderer.   
  
"Hi, Liz, Beth," Sheridan added, closing the front door once they all got inside.   
  
"Isn't it a beautiful day?" she asked energetically. "The sun is shining and the birds are chirping!"  
  
Luis, Liz, Antonio and Beth did not see any sunlight or hear the chirping of birds. As far as they  
were concerned, their days had been bleak and mournful the second that Police Chief had announced  
that Martin Fitzgerald had been killed.   
  
No one answered. Sheridan stared back at their sullen faces, wondering what was going on.   
"Luis, Antonio, what's wrong?" she implored.   
  
Luis turned his back to her. He couldn't stand to look at her. How could she do this?! Even if it  
was an accident, she still killed his papa. And now he had to place her under arrest.  
  
When she realized that no one was going to answer her, she began to get mad. What was with  
them? Why were they standing there like statues not saying anything? It made her get worried that  
something bad had happened.   
  
"Somebody say something. You guys are scaring me. I feel like something bad happened!"  
  
"Something BAD did happen, SHERIDAN!" Antonio growled.   
  
That took her by surprise - she had never heard him talk like that to her.   
  
"Well what?" she asked, gesturing with her hands and looking at all of them.   
  
"You're under arrest," Luis blurted out.   
  
"WHAT?!" she cried out. That was the last thing she expected to hear. "Under arrest?  
Wha....Under what charge?"  
  
No one answered her question.  
  
"Luis," she pleaded, shocked by his three previous words. "SPEAK UP!"  
  
"Under the charge of murder," he mumbled slowly.  
  
"Murder?!" she shrieked. "I didn't kill any -" she stopped talking as the faint flashback of her  
carrying a bloody letter opener when she was about seven years old, replayed in her mind.   
  
"You killed my father!" Antonio screamed once he noticed how quiet Sheridan had gotten. He  
could tell she was remembering his papa's death. "Luis, arrest her now!"  
  
Sheridan's mouth fell to the ground as she stared at the four people who were glaring at her.  
She killed the father of the two men she was madly in love with? Oh my gosh.......  
  
But Luis knew what he was doing. He wasn't going to let his emotions get the best of him -  
especially when he had to do his job. "Do you deny it?"  
  
"I have a memory but it's hazy. I didn't even know it was your papa!" Sheridan managed to  
say.   
  
"The evidence points to you, Sheridan." Luis said, hardly listening to what she had to say. He  
had to be a professional, he couldn't let his personal feelings get in the way. This was going to be really  
hard for him to do. "So I have to arrest you."  
  
He put the handcuffs on her slowly. What irony! The last time he had imagined putting anything  
near her hands it had been an enagement ring. But fate was cruel. She would get no big diamond ring. In  
its place, she would receive one shiny set of handcuffs, which would be the beginning of the end for Ms.  
Sheridan Crane. Once they had been linked, he walked over to the door and made sure everyone else  
followed.   
  
Sheridan was in tears. She looked into the eyes of her first love - Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald - who  
was staring back at her. For the first time ever since they had known each other, his eyes weren't  
shining with love and happiness when they were locked with hers. Quite the contrary; they were dark.  
Bleak. Emotionless.   
  
It scared her when she realized that he didn't love her anymore. At least not the way he used to.  
Same for Antonio, who's anger was more expressive than his brother's.   
  
Oh my gosh, she thought to herself. What have I done? I'm paying for an accidental mistake  
I've made twenty years ago! I didn't MEAN to kill Martin. I didn't.........  
  
  
{a/n: next up: sheridan is arrested and taken to the station. more to come. r/r!} 


	14. ice cream 14

Chapter 14:  
  
This can't be happening, screamed Sheridan's body and mind. Instead of Luis saying an "I love  
you" to me like he always used to do, he comes into my cottage and says another set of three little  
words: "You're under arrest."  
  
How could this happen? I can't believe it. I mean I knew that I had this unclear memory in my  
head of something bad happening when I was a child, but it's so hazy!   
  
I killed Martin? she asked herself. How could I? How could God make me do that? Kill the  
father of the only two men in my life that I love? It was so unfair, but she knew she couldn't do anything  
about it. The damage had been done. Time to suffer the consequences.......  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
Sheridan reached the police station in Luis's patrol car. Beth, Liz and Antonio followed in  
Antonio's car.   
  
"You have one call to make," Luis told her.   
  
She nodded, hardly meeting the gaze of the man that used to love her. The love that she had  
sucked dry after killing his papa.   
  
Sheridan instantly knew who she would call. As much as she hated to do it, she knew that the  
only man she could count on was her father. Or at least she hoped.   
  
Sheridan picked up the phone from its cradle and placed a call to her father's private line.   
  
"Julian! I told you not to call this -" Alastair's booming voice came from the other end.  
Apparently even Alastair Crane was too cheap to get Caller ID.   
  
"No, umm, Dad it's me...Sheridan," she mumbled. She hadn't had a proper talk with her father  
in a long time. But she was hoping he would help her out.   
  
"What do you want?!" he hissed after a moment of silence.  
  
"I'm..." Sheridan took a breath of air before she said the next words. "I'm in jail, and I need  
your help."  
  
Sheridan didn't hear anything at the other end of the line for a while, but then was able to detect  
a noise that seemed relative to a laugh. The noise got louder, and yes, Sheridan knew. Her father was  
laughing at her.   
  
"Why are you laughing?" Sheridan demanded. "I'm in jail. You have to help me!"  
  
"Well, Sheridan, you DID kill Martin Fitzgerald. I can't do anything about it."  
  
"What?!" she hissed. "Of course you can! You've done things people only dream about doing!  
Surely you can get me out of this bind."  
  
"Yes, if you were innocent, sweetheart!" Alastair said, using fake charm. "But you're not. So I  
can't be of any service to you."  
  
"But..." Sheridan muttered before the line went dead. She stared at the receiver in shock. Her  
own father, who was overdue when it came to being there for her, was refusing to assist her in this trying  
time of her life. Not even once. Not when she needed it the most.   
  
Sheridan's sense of shock quickly turned to one of anger. She slammed the receiver down in its  
place, which grabbed the attention of some of the other cops.  
  
"I take it it didn't go well?" one of the cops asked her, laughing scornfully.   
  
Sheridan didn't bother answering. She looked at the ground. The cold, hard, empty, walked all  
over ground. That's what she felt like then.   
  
Luis led her to one of the empty jail cells towards the back of the station house. She would stay  
there for the night until someone posted the $500,000 dollar bail.   
  
"Luis!" she moaned pleadingly as he closed the jail door in front of her.   
  
Normally hearing her voice carrying that tone would have made him do as she wished. Like he  
was her personal genie. But those times had long passed. He just walked away from her. His heart was  
bleeding with pain. The pain of losing his father because of the woman he used to love.   
  
Looking at her crying her eyes out in the jail cell, with her hair in disarry and her mascara  
running, he couldn't tell what it was about her that he had fallen in love with. Whatever it was, it had  
begun as quickly as it had ended.   
  
{a/n: i know this chapter was a bit shorter than the rest and for that i'm sorry. but i hope u still  
enjoyed it. to sheridan fans --- i advise u to not read anymore, unless u like to see her being bashed.  
its up to u. keep reading ppl and thanks for the reviews! oh and one more thing,if my updates become sporadic, it's because my college semester started.} 


	15. ice cream 15

Chapter 15:  
  
  
"Hello?" came Eve Russell's reply in response to the ringing telephone in her house. It was 9  
AM on a Saturday, who would be calling?!  
  
  
"Hello, Eve," came that smooth, bone-chilling voice. Alastair. One of the most despised men in  
her life. She was about to hang up on him, but curiosity won out. "What do you want, Alastair?" she  
hissed in a low voice. She didn't want her husband to know that she was associating with a Crane.   
  
  
"I want you to come to Harmony's Police Station. My daughter Sheridan is there. Now as I  
and you, recall, you gave her a psychological evaluation a few years ago, am I right?"  
  
  
"Yes," Eve said slowly, unsure of where this was going. No one in Harmony besides the  
Lopez-Fitzgerald's and the Crane's knew of the recent advancements of the Martin Fitzgerald case. So  
far anyway.   
  
  
"Was this evaluation about the murder of, say, Martin Fitzgerald?"  
  
  
"I can't answer that," Eve replied. "It's confidential."  
  
  
"Nevermind, then. I know what I need to know. You see, Eve, my daughter was proven to  
have killed Martin Fitzgerald yesterday. I want you to go to the police station and submit the  
psychological evaluation as more evidence."  
  
  
"Why?!" Eve asked, baffled. Why would Alastair want to do that to Sheridan. It would harm  
her chances more of being set free from this mess.   
  
  
"Nevermind why, Eve," Alastair shouted, banging his arm on the table in anger. "You do as I  
say!"  
  
  
"No, Alastair," Eve answered boldly. "You aren't going to get me to play your dirty games!"  
  
  
"No?" he questioned. "Hmm, I wonder how your family will feel when they find out your little  
secret, Dr. Eve. You wouldn't want them to find out twenty years later that you had an affair with my  
son now would you?!"  
  
  
Eve's face turned to that of stone, as her face paled at every one of his words. He had backed  
her into a corner now, and there was no getting out. She sighed in defeat.   
  
  
"Ok, Alastair," she said dejectedly. "I'll be there soon."  
  
  
"Good," came the satisfied reply as he hung up.   
  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
Not too long after, Eve Russell made her way over to Harmony's Police Station, where Luis,  
Sam Bennett, and some other cops already were.   
  
  
"I heard about the case," she told Luis, as she stroked his arm affectionately. "I'm so sorry."  
She gave him a consoling hug.   
  
  
He hugged her back and said his thank you's.   
  
  
"Is there another reason you're here, Eve?" Sam asked her, once he realized that she wasn't  
leaving.   
  
  
"Yes, actually," she said slowly, "I have more evidence that proves Sheridan murdered Martin  
Fitzgerald."  
  
  
Sam and Luis looked at her in shock. How would SHE have evidence against Sheridan? And if  
she did, why would she use it? It's not like she had anything against Sheridan personally. Or did she?  
  
  
"I realize that the two of you want the largest amount of evidence you can get - for or against  
Sheridan. And so I don't want to hold back anything, especially if it means that I might get in trouble  
myself for keeping secrets from Harmony PD." Everything she had just said was a lie, but it was  
convincing. She had come up with it in the car while she was driving. She couldn't tell them the truth.  
That Alastair had blackmailed her so Sheridan would be definitely sentenced.  
  
  
"Ok, Eve," Sam spoke up, convinced. "What is your evidence?"  
  
  
"The results of a psychological evaluation I had of her from a few years ago."  
  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
As soon as those words had escaped the lips of Dr. Russell, Sam took her inside a private  
room where they could talk. This was originally Luis's case, and he should have been the one to have  
the conversation with Eve Russell, but Sam knew that Luis was more emotional than a cop should be,  
and told him he'd take it this time.   
  
  
Sam and Eve sat in a private room talking for a good hour, about what she knew. She told him  
everything, even taking out the file where she had written down all the observations she had made about  
Sheridan that day when she was evaluating her.   
  
  
"Eve I can tell this is valid and reliable," Sam told her after she had shown and told him  
everything. "But tell me this. Did Alastair put you up to this? To come here and show us this evidence?"  
  
  
Eve gulped down the lump that was forming in her throat. She couldn't lie to one of her closest  
friends. "Yes," she mumbled.   
  
  
"That bastard!" Sam yelled. "I know he's behind all of this. Sheridan isn't half as guilty as he is.  
I just feel it. But all I have is your word, Eve. And my instincts. And unfortunately that is not enough  
cause to arrest that bastard and lock him up forever!"  
  
  
"Yes, unfortunately," Eve agreed.   
  
  
"I just wish we had something against him," Sam told her. "Something to prove that he IS  
behind everything that has happened."  
  
  
{a/n: hmm, hint hint people!!! keep reading. thanks.} 


	16. ice cream 16

Chapter 16:

The same day, Beth made her way to the police station. Liz came along. They were going to show Luis and the other cops the audiotape where Alastair told Beth everything. The truth about Martin's death would be revealed. 

"Hi, Luis," Beth said to her detached boyfriend. She felt so bad for him - he had become quite unresponsive to everything in his life after everyone found out the truth about his father's death. 

"Hi," he mumbled out. 

Liz and Beth walked into the Police Chief's room, where Sam was still talking to Eve. 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Beth and Liz said at the same time. 

"No problem, I was just finishing the interrogation. How can I help you?" Sam asked. 

"We have some proof that we think is key in the case of Martin Fitzgerald's death."

"Oh," Sam said. "That is what Eve is here for." he nodded towards the woman sitting next to him. 

Liz and Beth smiled a hello at the doctor before turning back to the Police Chief. 

"So what is your proof?" Sam asked, as he offered them chairs to sit down in. 

"A recorded confession by Alastair Crane on his involvement in the death of Luis's father." Beth answered. 

Eve gasped. She turned to look at Sam, noticing that he was staring back at her. His mouth formed an O of surprise, before his face took on a look of glee. 

"This could be what we need, Eve," Sam told her, getting excited. "To frame Alastair in his tracks."

Eve nodded, hoping beyond hope that Alastair would get what he deserved. 

"Why don't you two follow me into another room so we can examine this evidence you hold in your possession," Sam advised. 

"Ok," Liz said, as Beth and her followed Sam. 

______________________________________________________________________________

Beth pushed the play button on the tape recorder, and Alastair's booming voice resonated through their ears. 

That day when Beth had secretly been recording Alastair's confession, she had made sure not to record some parts of HER dialogue. 

Sam, Beth and Liz listened to what they heard:

_"Did you have a nice trip in New Mexico?" _

They heard Beth say: _"How could you expose your own daughter as the killer?"_

  
Then Alastair responded with, _"Hey, if she married one of the Lopez-Fitzgerald brothers, for sure the family secrets would be revealed."  
_  
_"What secrets?"_

  
_"How Martin really died."_

"But... the evidence proves that... that Sheridan killed him! She didn't really kill him did she?!"  
  
_"She did! She was given the letter opener and told that if any man seemed scary or suspicious, that she should push the letter opener into his body."_  
  
_"And you just so conveniently made it that Martin was the first suspicious person, huh? But wasn't he working for your family then? Wouldn't Sheridan have recognized him?"_  
  
_"She was six years old, then, Ms. Wallace. And he had been working there for only two years. She hadn't really seen him."_  
  
_"Why did you want Martin dead? Why? He was innocent in all of this!"_  
  
_"He found out some family secrets that should never have been revealed. That's why."  
  
"May God rot your soul." _  
  
______________________________________________________________________________

"Wow," was all Sam said in the beginning once they finished listening to the tape. "If that doesn't make Alastair guilty, I don't know what will!" A smile spread through his features. 

"Can you indict him on some charges, Chief Bennett?" Beth asked, hopefully. She had to admit that Sheridan wasn't one of her favorite people, but she didn't want her to be sentenced as the lone defendant in this murder case. Alastair had to own up to his part of the happenings, even if he pretended like he had no connection to it all. Beth and Liz had made sure that he would pay for what he did to the Lopez-Fitzgerald's. 

"Definitely," Sam answered. "In the name of the law, he is just about as guilty as Sheridan."

Liz and Beth grinned at each other. Sure they couldn't bring Martin back for Luis and Antonio, as well as their family, but making sure that revenge was served was a sweet feeling. A Bittersweet one. But still sweet. 

{a/n: a long awaited (I hope) chapter. Sorry for the delay. I thought about not working on it anymore but decided to continue, especially since I had already outlined the whole fic and there is only 8 more chapters left. I hope ur still reading. R/r.}


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